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'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years'
[October 19, 2017]

'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years'


AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is honored to announce a significant milestone: this year marks the observation and celebration of AHF's 30th anniversary, an accomplishment that now includes providing HIV/AIDS prevention, care and services-including lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, to more than 817,000 people in 38 countries in the US, Europe, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia.

As part of its 30th anniversary, AHF will mark the achievement throughout the remainder of 2017 with a series of global events and activities, including screenings of the new one-hour documentary, 'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years.' Through interviews with key AHF stakeholders from over the years coupled with archival video footage culled from AHF's 30 years of advocacy, care and activism, 'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years' tells a compelling story of AHF's history while offering a glimpse of, and road map to its future.

Staff and public screenings of the film start in October and will continue through the end of the year as the observation of World AIDS Day approaches (observed each year on December 1st) when AHF will also host a number of World AIDS Day/AHF 30th Anniversary concerts and community activations around the globe. 'Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years' was made by Foxhound Productions and will also be subtitled in at least nine additional languages: Spanish, French, Chinese, Portuguese, Nepali, Khmer, Russian, Ukrainian and Hindi-languages spoken in many of the countries and regions where AHF currently operates and provides care and services.

Founded in 1987 first as the AIDS Hospice Committee and later the AIDS Hospice Foundation, AHF's earliest days were a heartfelt, grassroots community effort to provide end-of-life hospice care to people with AIDS in Los Angeles, California at a time in the mid-1980s before lifesaving drug treatment was available for people with HIV/AIDS. Thirty years later, AHF has now grown to become the largest global AIDS organization.

"On this occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of AHF, I want to thank our board of directors, our staff of 5,600, our 817,000 patients and the community of supporters we have around the country and the world. Everything we have accomplished is because of your dedication. AHF stands as living proof that the world can be changed for the better if you are willing to work hard and dedicate yourself to a mission," said Michael Weinstein, AHF's President and founder. "I really wish that Chris Brownlie, my dear friend and co-founder of AHF, could be alive today to see what his voice inspired. While we celebrate this milestone, we recognize that there is still so much more work to be done before we defeat AIDS once and for all time."

"Congratulations to all of the AHF staff, Board members, volunteers, partners and our patients for contributing your best to help AHF meet this remarkable thirty-year milestone with over 821,000 patients now in AHF's care somewhere in the world," said Cynthia Davis, MPH, Assistant Professor, College of Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Chair of AHF's Board of Directors. "On behalf of the Board, we are honored and proud of the work done-and to work alongside you-in the fight against AIDS each day. Members of the Board also look forward to celebrating this milestone with many of you at these events, celebrations and film screenings at AHF locations around the corner and around the globe, as well as during our upcoming 'Keep the Promise' World AIDS Day concerts and community events. Again, heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all those involved in this remarkable AHF accomplishment."

AHF provides medical care and services at over 445 global clinics in 37 other countries outside to U.S. including:

THE AMERICAS-11 countries, including: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru (as well as the previously cited United States).

AFRICA-11 countries, including: Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia.

ASIA-9 countries, including: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

EUROPE-7 countries, including: Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and Ukraine.

In addition, AHF operates 48 free HIV/AIDS healthcare centers in 14 states and the District of Columbia in the U.S. (California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Washington [state] and Washington, DC).

AHF's Early History AHF began operations in 1987 as the AIDS Hospice Foundation by a group of activists in response to the urgent need to provide hospice services to patients dying of AIDS on the streets of Los Angeles. By July 1990, the organization had changed its name to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, as the need for ongoing medical care for HIV/AIDS patients grew. When the advent of lifesaving antiretroviral medications ushered in a treatment revolution in 1996, AHF began supplying these medications to patients for free without guarantee of reimbursement and at great financial risk. In 2002, at the invitation of local South African activists, AHF opened its fist free HIV/AIDS clinic outside the U.S. in this hard-hit country. In 2004, AHF declared its pledge to reach 100,000 people worldwide with its services, and by 2009, AHF reached that major milestone.

Today, in addition to its clinics and treatment centers, AHF also operates a chain of 46 AHF Pharmacy outlets in 11 states and runs managed care and disease management programs for people with AIDS or HIV in Florida and California under AHF's Positive Healthcare umbrella. Through AHF's Public Health Division, AHF operates one of the largest community-based free HIV testing programs in the US (176,950 free tests in the US in 2016). In addition, nearly five million free HIV tests were done globally by AHF in 2016 (4,876,600 tests). AHF also operates 21 Wellness Centers in eight states (and four additional Wellness Centers in two other countries) and also operates two AHF Dental Clinics in South Florida and Southern California. The AHF Research Division has nearly 23 years of experience with antiretroviral (ARV) studies. AHF also operates the award-winning chain of 'Out of the Closet' thrift stores-currently 21 outlets in seven states in the U.S., many of which are free HIV testing sites as well.





 

'KEEPING THE PROMISE-AHF 30 YEARS'

World theatrical premiere of new documentary! Thursday, October 19th at Hollywood's historic Arclight Theater's Cinerama Dome to mark AIDS Healthcare Foundation's 30th Anniversary.

 
WHAT:  

'KEEPING THE PROMISE-AHF 30 YEARS' - Film Screening & Celebration/Reception

 
WHEN:

Thursday, October 19, 2017

• 6:00 PM reception

• 7:00 PM film screening (one hour) with brief 30th Anniversary Ceremony to follow

 
WHERE:

Arclight Theater Hollywood, 6360 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA (News - Alert) 90028

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Ged Kenslea, AHF, 323.791.5526 mobile, [email protected]

Christopher Johnson, AHF, 310.880.9913 mobile, [email protected]

 

'KEEPING THE PROMISE-AHF 30 YEARS' - Film Trailers

 

Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years - trailer #1 - https://youtu.be/pW5yRz0z3i0

Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years - trailer #2 - https://youtu.be/vwwCzLaU8QY

Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years - trailer #3 - https://youtu.be/L9ukf6pUa88

Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years - trailer #4 - https://youtu.be/I_ezSYxONQY

Keeping the Promise-AHF 30 Years - trailer #5 - https://youtu.be/7XKhVlArZcI

 

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 817,000 individuals in 38 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook (News - Alert): www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @aidshealthcare.


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